Google Earth Gets a Huge Redesign with Guided Tours, 3D View, and More

April 23, 2017

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Google has out a big update to Google Earth for Chrome and Android. Alongside a snazzy new look, the new version adds guided tours, 3D maps, a random button, and lots more.

The Google Earth guided tours, which Google calls “Voyager,” aren’t just some hacked together algorithmic mess, they’re led by scientists and documentarians. At launch there are 50 tours available of places like Gombe National Park, a variety of North America’s National Parks, or a tour of Frank Gehry’s buildings. Google also teams up with BBC and Planet Earth, so you can zoom in on different locations from the show and learn more.

If you’re truly bored, you can also use the “I’m feeling lucky” button to get sent some random place in the world using Google Earth Guided Tours. Once you’re there, Google packs in useful information by pulling in sources like Wikipedia so you can learn a bit about the place you land. Google Earth Guided Tours with The 3D button allows you to view any place you want from any angle, though in most cases that tends to look as weird and awkward as you’re likely imagining it would.

Google Earth has always been a bit of a fun toy, but it seems like Google’s making an attempt to make it a bit more useful. To that end, they plan on adding more Google Earth Guided Tours on a weekly basis, which should make it useful to come back to.

Guided Tours Guided Tours

The new Google Earth Guided Tours also adds an I’m Feeling Lucky button, as borrowed from its bigger search sibling. Click it and the service will take you somewhere unexpected, from opera houses in Italy to hot springs in Japan, before showing you a “knowledge card” of interesting facts. While you’re there, you’ll also be able to see the location in three dimensions in your browser or on your mobile device, using the service’s new 3D feature. Press the 3D button in the corner of the UI, and you’ll be able to get a movable drone’s-eye view of historical, geographical, or architectural marvels around the world.

Google Earth Guided Tours

The revamped Google Earth Guided Tours — which the company says was two years in the making — Google Earth Guided Tours is now available in Chrome or on Android, and will be coming to iOS and other browsers in the future.